Roll coating machine for message register wheels



March 16, 1954 ROLL COATING Filed Aug. 15, 1951 A. J. FEDOR 2,672,120MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTER WHEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Mia-W701? A. J.FIDO/i Arum/v5) A. J. FEDOR ROLL COATING MACHINE FOR MESSAGE REGISTERFiled Aug. 15, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V v IIVVf/VTOI? A.J. F5001? ATTOAAFY March 16, 1954 A. J. FEDOR 2,672,120 ROLL COATING MACHINE FOR MESSAGEREGISTER WHEELS Filed Aug. 15, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v9? x w 28 \X q IM/VDVTO/P 45 a4 Ad. F5001? Patented Mar. 16, 1954 ROLL COATING MACHINEFOR MESSAGE REGISTER WHEELS Andrew J. Fedor, Chicago, Ill., assignor toWestern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporationof New York Application August 15, 1951, Serial No. 241,986

5 Claims. (Cl. 118233) 1 This invention relates to a roll coatingmachine and more particularly to a machine for rolling acoatingcomposition onto the peripheral surfaces of number wheels.

In counting devices for registering the number of movements of anelement, wheels are employed having a series of numerals printed orotherwise indicated thereon. In some types of devices these wheels havecylindrical peripheral surfaces on which is applied a coatingcomposition of one color forming the background color and on which thenumbers of a contrasting color are printed. Heretofore, according to onemethod of marking the wheels, the background coating was applied to thewheels by assembling groups of the wheels on mandrels with theperipheral edges of the wheels in abutting relation so that each groupof wheels formed an elongated cylindrical surface on which a coatingcomposition of one color was sprayed. This manner of coating the wheelswas satisfactory where the ends or edge ortions of the peripheralsurfaces of the wheels could be placed in abutting relation to eachother to form a continuous cylindrical surface from one to the other ofthe wheels. are of a design where the hubs extended axially beyond theedge of the cylindrical peripheral surface so that when a plurality ofthe wheels are mounted on a mandrel, the edges of the peripheralsurfaces of the wheels are spaced apart, the spraying of the first orbackground coating onto the peripheral surface of the wheels is notsatisfactory in that the sprayed coating is not confined to theperipheral cylindrical surface of the wheels, but gets on other exposedsurfaces of the wheels, such as the hub portions. This is especiallyundesirable in that the appearance of the parts thus sprayed rendersthem unacceptable, and in cases where the wheels are molded with gearteeth formed in the hub or other portions thereof, any coating on theteeth portions of the wheels interferes with the normal operation of theregistering mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide a machine for rollcoating articles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided arotating transfer roller, a supply of a coating composition, mechanismfor applying a thin layer of the coating composition onto the transferroller, a holder having a pair of notched arms for receiving an arbortherein on which a plurality of the Wheels to be coated are supported,the holder having a normal position for supporting the arbor and thewheels thereon in spaced relation to the transfer However, where thewheels roller and being movable into an operative position to carry thewheels into engagement with the transfer roller, and an actuating membermovable from a normally open position to a closed position to hold thearbor in position on the holder and for moving the holder and the arborwith the wheels thereon into an operative position with the periphery ofthe wheels in engagement with the coating composition on the transferroller whereby the coating is rolled from the transfer roller onto theperipheral surfaces of the wheels to coat the wheels, after which theholder and the member-are returned to their normal positions and thearbor and the coated wheels removed from the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent byreference to the follow ing detailed description thereof when consideredin conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferredembodiment thereof, in which Fig. l is a plan view of the machine withparts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view of the arbor with a plurality of the wheels shown indotted lines thereon;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end views, respectively, of one of the wheelswhich are to be coated;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the machine taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the holder in operative position withthe wheels to be coated transfer roller;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one of the armsfor adjustably supporting a transfer roll and means for adjusting theposition of the arm;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 5with the holder in its:

normal inoperative position;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line l--1 ofFig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig.6.

Referring now to the drawings, one type of the number wheels H) whichare to be coated is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each of the wheels in has acylindrical peripheral surface I I, on which a thin coating ofcomposition of one color is to be applied to form the background coloron which the numbers of a contrasting color subsequently are to beapplied. The wheel H! hasa central bore I2 passing through hub portionsI3 thereon, one of which is formed in the shape of a gear l4, and on oneend face of the wheel near the periphin engagement with the ery thereofis molded a pair of teeth it. A plurality of the wheels are adapted tobe assembled on a rod or arbor i8 (Figs. 2 and 7) having a collar orshoulder is thereon in spaced relation to and adjacent one end of therod, as shown in Fig. 2.

The arbor IS, with the wheels 10 assembled thereon, is adapted to bepositioned in a holder 22 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the coating machine withthe end portions of the arbor 23 formed in a pair of arms The arms 22,which are spaced mined distance, are secured to or formed integral witha sleeve 26 (Fig. 8) which is mounted for oscillatable movement on ashaft 21.- The shaft 21 is supported in a pair of bearing bushings 28 2Aof the holder.

and 29, which are mounted in vertical plates or walls 39 and 31,respectively, which, in turn, are mounted on the base 32 of the machine.The bearing bushings 29 and 29 serve to lock the holdera22 against axialmovement-on the: shaft 211.? .Acoiled spring. 35: on the bushing. 22'has one endthereof anchored in the wall 39 and the other end secured tothe arm 24 to stress the holder for rotation in .a clockwise directionand yieldably maintain it in an upper inoperative position, as shown inFig. 6, against a stop member 3Bv on the wall 39. The holder 22 supportsthe arbor l8 and the wheels 19 thereon in a normal inoperativeposition-(Fig. 6) above an applicator. or transfer roller All andparallel to the axis thereof and is movable downwardly into an operativeposition (Fig.5) to carry the wheels lit into closeproximity and insubstantial engagement with the periphery of the roller 49.

Anactuating member or lever 52 is provided for clamping the arbor ontothe holder 22 and for moving-the holder and the arbor l8 withthe wheelsin thereon from the inoperative to the operative position. The member.42 comprises a pair of arms l343 secured to a block 45, which is.mounted for oscillatable movement on the sleeve as between the arms 24of the. holder 22. The: forward portions of the arms 53 areconnectedtcgether by a bail-shaped handle member I 41 and-are adapted toengage the shoulder portion 19 and a portion of the arbor 18 when theactuating member is moved from an openposition as shown in Fig. 6 to aclosed position to grip the arbor in the notches 23 inthe arms .24 ofthe holder 22. After the actuator member 42 has been moved into.engagement with the arbor 18, continued movement of the member willcarry the holder and the arbor with the wheels Iii thereon into theoperative positionshown in Fig. 5. .An adjustable stop screw 59, mountedon one of the arms 24, is engageable with a sleeve 59 on a shaft 5!, onwhichthe, transfer roll 49. is mounted, to stop the downward movement ofthe holder and accuratelyposition the wheels 19 relative to theperiphery of theroller. 49 during the roll-coating operating. A spring53stresses the actuating member 42 in a clockwise direction and serves toreturn it to its normal open position, shown .in Fig. 6, in whichpositionthe. actuating member is stopped by the engagement of a pin 54on the block with an arm 24 of the holder 22.

The shaft 5!, on which the transfer roll til is rotatably mounted, isfixed to and supported in one end of a pair of arms 51, which aresecured at their other ends to a shaft 58 journaled for oscillatingmovement in the walls 39 and BL, As shown in Fig. '7, the shaft5Lextends through clearance slots or aperturesin the walls 39v and i8fitting in notches apart a predetering 3| and has a nob or handleportion 59, by means of which the roller may be manually rotated andvertically moved to facilitate the cleaning thereof. A pair of springs60, connected to the arms 51, urge the roller 49 downwardly and anextension Bl (Fig. 5 on one of the arms 51 is engageable with a setscrew 62' (Figs. 1 and. 5 adjustably mounted in a lug 63 on the wall 31, whereby the roller 49 is accurately positioned relative to a vibratorroller 65 to regulate the degree of pressure between therollers 49 andB5.

The. coating of composition applied to the wheels 19 from the transferroller is carried to the. roller 49 through a series of rollersincludthe vibrator .roll 65, distributor roll 68, vibrator'rollt9,distributor rolls 19 and 1|, ductor roll 12,. anda supply roll 13 from asupply 14 of the composition in a container or fountain 15. The.vibrator roll is fixed to a shaft 89 (Fig. '1), which is rotatably andslidably mounted in bearing apertures in the plates 39' and 31. and hasa pair of gearsBl and 82 fixed thereto, the former of which meshes witha gear flsfixedto a'drive shaft 84. The drive shaftB l may be drivenbyany suitable means, such as a speed reducing unit 85, which, in turn,is driven from an electric motor (not shown) mounted on the base 32. Theshaft 89 has a barrel cam 81 fixed thereto, in the cam groove of whichrides a stationary cam-follower 88 formed on a bracket 89 fixedto theside wall 3| of the machine forimparting. axial reciprocation to thevibrator roller as it rotates.

The gear 32 on theshaft. 8| meshes with an idler gear. 92 suitablymounted for rotation on the sidewall 39, and the gear 92,-.in turn,meshes with a gear 99 fixed to a shaft 95, on whichthe distributorroller 1| is fixed. The; distributor rollers .63. and 19 are formed. onshafts 96' and 91, respectively, which are rotatably mounted in bearingblocks 98 and 99 removably mounted in slots I99 and MI. in the wallswand- 31. The. rollers. 68 and-19 bear against the. rollers 65. and 1|,respectively, and support the vibrator roll 69. The vibrator roll 89 isrotatablyv mounted. on a shaft I95, which, at its ends, is fixed to.posts int, and the posts 106 are slidably mounted in slots H11 in theside walls 30 and 31 of the ma-' chine for holding the. vibrator roll 69against axial and lateral displacement as it rests von the distributorrolls 68 and 19. A suitable mechanism (not shown) is contained withinthe vibrator roll 69 to impart apredetermined axialreciprocatorymovement thereto in response to rotation thereof.

The ductor roll 1'2 is supported for rotation in theends of a pair ofarms H9 fixed to'a shaft Hi, which is mounted. for rocking movement inbearing apertures in the side plates 39 and. 3! and is adapted to beoscillated-to and. fromens gagement with the distributorroll 1| and thesupply roll 13. A. springv H2 connectedto. one of the arms H9 stressesthearms for movementin a clockwise direction and an arm I M fixed to theshaft H I has a cam follower 5 i5 thereon engaging the periphery of thecam H9 fixed to a shaft 5 f1. J ournaled in bearing. apertures intheplates 33 and 31, the shaft H1 has a gear H8 fixed thereto which mesheswith and isdriven from the gear Sl t. The supply roller 13 is adapted tobe rotated step by step and is mounted on a shaft 5'25. which isjournaled in suitable bearings in the walls 39 and 9! and has a ratchetI25 fixed thereto which is adapted tobe driven by a pawl lili'fpivotallymounted on an .oscillatable. arm I28. The larm. I28. isconnectedtoone..end ofa link I 29, the other end of which is pivotally connected tothe gear I It in eccentric relation to the axis of the shaft H1 so that,as the gear H8 rotates, it acts as a crank to impart oscillation to thearm I28 and pawl I21 to impart step by step rotation to the ink rolleri3. Rotated from a positive gear drive, the rollers 65 and H impartrotation to the transfer roller 49 and the distributor rollers 68 and itin engagement therewith, and the vibrator roll 69 is rotated throughengagement with the distributor rolls 68 and 10.

A thin film of the ink or coating composition, governed by the settingof a doctor blade '5 32, adheres to the supply roller is as it isadvanced step by step, and the ductor rollers 12 serve to transfer thecomposition from the roller 73 onto the roller 1!. The coatingcomposition is then rolled into a thin smooth film and is transferredfrom one roller to another until it arrives at the roller 48 and isapplied thereon in a thin even film.

In the operation of the device, sets of wheels in are assembled onarbors l8 and a supply of the arbors with the wheels assembled thereonis stationed close to the machine. The operator takes the arbors insuccession and lays each one with the ends thereof in the grooves 23 ofthe arms 24 of the holder (Fig. -6), after which he presses the handleportion 4'! of the actuator member 42 downwardly, causing the arms 63 tofirst engage the arbor and lock it in position in the holder 24 and thenmove the holder and the mandrel with the wheels thereon into theoperative position shown in Fig. 5, where the periphery of the wheels Iengage the film of composition on the transfer roller 49. The holder zamay be held down with the wheels ill in engagement with the roller 40for several rotations of the wheels to cause a film of coating materialto be rolled onto and adhere to the peripheral surface of the wheels.The operator then releases the downward pressure of the actuator member42, permitting the holder to return to its inoperative position and theactuator member iz to return to its open position, as shown in Fig. 6,after which the arbor l 8, with the coated wheels it thereon, is removedfrom the machine and placed in a rack.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A roll coating machine for coating the peripheries of a plurality ofwheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller mounted forrotation about a fixed axis, means for rotating and applying a coatingof composition onto said roller, a holder including a pair of armsengageable with the ends of said arbor for supporting said arbor and thewheels thereon for movement to and from an inoperative position inspaced relation to said transfer roller and an operative position inwhich said wheels in engagement with said roller, resilient means formoving said arms to said inoperative position, an actuating memberhaving a pair of arms movable from a normal position spaced from anarbor in said holder into engagement with an arbor in said holder togrip said arbor and to move said holder into operative position, andresilient means for moving said actuating member into said normalposition.

2. A roll coating machine for applying a coat--v ing composition ontothe peripheries of a plurality of wheels supported on an arborcomprising a transfer roller mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, areceptacle for a supply of said composition, means for distributing athin layer of said composition onto said transfer roller, a holderhaving seats engageable with the ends of said arbor for supporting thearbor and the wheels thereon, means mounting said holder and an arborwith the wheels thereon for movement to and from an inoperative positionin spaced relation to said applicator and an operative position in whichthe wheels are in engagement with said applicator roller, yieldablemeans for retaining said holder in said inoperative position, anactuator member, means mounting said actuator member for movement from anormal position into engagement with an arbor in said holder to grip thearbor in said holder and to move said holder and the arbor with thewheels thereon to said operative position, and yieldable means forretaining said actuator member in said normal position.

3. A roll coating machine for coating the periphery of a plurality ofwheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means forrotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, aholder having a pair of armswith seats for receiving the arbor thereinto support said arbor and the wheels, means mounting said holder formovement to guide said arbor and the wheels thereon toward and away fromsaid roller and in parallel relation thereto whereby said wheels may bepressed into engagement with said roller, stop means for arresting themovement of said holder in one direction to limit the pressure of saidwheels against said roller, and means for adjusting said stop means tovary the pressure between said wheels and said roller.

4. A roll coating machine for coating the periphery of a plurality ofwheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means forrotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, aholder having a pair of arms with seats for receiving the arbor thereinto support said arbor and the wheels, means mounting said holder formovement to guide said arbor and the wheels thereon toward and away frosaid roller and in parallel relation thereto whereby said wheels may bepressed into engagement with said roller, stop means for arresting themovement of said holder in one direction to limit the pressure of saidwheels against said roller, means for adjusting said stop means to varythe pressure between said wheels and said roller, and means foryieldably retaining said holder with the arms in a normal position forreceiving and supporting an arbor with said wheels thereon in spacedrelation to said roller.

5. A roll coating machine for coating the peripheries of a plurality ofwheels mounted on an arbor comprising a transfer roller, means forrotating and applying a coating of composition onto said roller, aholder having a pair of arms with seats for receiving the arbor thereinto support said arbor and the wheels thereon, means pivotally mountingsaid holder for movement about a predetermined axis to guide said arborand the wheels thereon to and from said roller and in parallel relationthereto whereby said wheels may be. guided and pressed into engagementwith said roller, stop means for stopping the movement of said holdertoward said roller in a predetermined position to control the pressurebetween said wheels and said rollen. means for yieldably retaining saidholder and an arbor and wheels therein in a normal position in spacedrelation to said roller, an actuating member, means mounting saidactuating member for pivota} movement about said predetermined axis intoengagement with said holder and the arbor therein to hold said arbor onsaid holder and to move said holder against said stop means to effectthe engagement of said wheels with said roller, and means for yieldablyholding said ac tuating member in; a normal position in spaced relationto the seats on said arms of the holder Number Name Date 682,431 SmithAug. 28, 1928 1,874,059 Paradise Aug. 30, 1932 2,015,669 Gravely et a1.Oct. 1, 1935 2,329,263 Gladfelter' et a1. Sept. 14, 1943 2,387,248Dunlap et a1 Oct. 23. 1945

